LSU’s band horns in on Tom Petty tribute during Tigers-Gators game
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GAINESVILLE — Since the stunning death of Gainesville native Tom Petty five years ago, the tribute to the American music icon during University of Florida football games has grown in pageantry, power and popularity.
But during Saturday night’s Gators-LSU game, those proceedings — either intentionally or not — were disrupted by the Tigers band.
On the very night a handful of Petty’s family members were being recognized on the field.
It all started poignantly enough. Upon the end of the third quarter, Petty’s 1989 hit I Won’t Back Down (from his debut solo album Full Moon Fever) began blaring over the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium public address system, a tradition that started upon Petty’s death in 2017. As the audience of 90,585 sang along, the video board showed Petty’s family members in the north end zone.
But as the song wound down, LSU’s band — situated in the lower southeast section of the stadium — began playing its well-known four-note fight song, drawing a hearty chorus of boos and social-media wrath.
Dr. Kelvin Jones, assistant director of bands at LSU, did not respond to an email sent Sunday morning. Dr. Dave Waybright, UF’s director of bands, was reluctant to accuse the Tigers of purposely disrupting the proceedings.
“Visiting bands have a mission to play and support their own folks,” Waybright responded in an email. “They may have missed a memo or may have just responded to the energy of the moment. Either way, I doubt they meant any disrespect.”
The play immediately following the episode seemed as if had been audibled down from Petty’s celestial skybox: Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson scampered for an 81-yard touchdown run, cutting his team’s deficit to a touchdown.
LSU held on, however, for a 45-35 triumph.
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls
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